Black Market Brewing Seek and Destroy Quad IPA

Beer Name: Seek and Destroy
Brewery: Black Market Brewing Co. (Temecula, CA)
ABV: 12.7%
How sold: 22 oz bottles; on draft
Where bought: Black Market Brewing Co. (Temecula, CA) ****Gift from a friend
Price: Unknown

Date Received: March 18, 2016 
Date Opened: March 23, 2016
When brewed? Seasonal beer. Available around February.
IBUs: 111

What's on the Bottle: "Our Black Market brewers were in need of an amazing and unique brew to break up the winter doldrums. We think that this quadruple, smoked IPA is just the ticket to do the job. The smokey flavor and aromatics are from American hardwood smoked malts, adding just the right qualities to stand up to our piney and resinous experimental hops. Try pouring into a brandy snifter and slowly enjoying it as it warms."

What's on the Website: "This quadruple, smoked IPA is just the ticket to do the job. The smokey flavor and aromatics are from American hardwood smoked malts which add just the right qualities to stand up to our piney and resinous experimental hops. The 12.7% ABV packs a punch, so try pouring into a brandy snifter and slowly enjoying it as it warms." Read more here!

Where distributed: As of July 2016, Black Market Brewing ships to seven U.S. states and four Canadian provinces. Only a couple of their beers may make it to Washington. See if Black Market Brewing ships to your area!

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Poured cloudy brown into a wine glass. Off-white head filled with tiny bubbles. Rings of lacing around the glass. 4/5

Smell (25%): Sweet pineapple, hoppy, malty, with some smoky qualities. Interesting, and pretty much as advertised. 4/5

Taste (40%): Malty and sweet pineapple initially, then an explosion of smoke milliseconds later that practically stays throughout the rest of the drinking experience. Still, it finishes very well for 12.7%. I find that you'll get more of the alcohol when pairing with Mexican food. Unique, but not bad. 3.25/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Medium-bodied, drinks lighter than what I initially expected. Good carbonation here. 4/5

Overall (20%): A fine Quadruple IPA. The first quadruple IPA I've had was probably one of the most unique IPAs I've had to date. There's no mistaking the smokiness here. Given its potency, I would not recommend drinking the entire bottle in one sitting. It actually did pair nicely with Mexican food (albeit more of the alcohol showed up), and could also be tempting to pair with s'mores. I liked the pineapple aroma and flavor, but the smokiness simply takes over and will not let up. This will not be a go-to beer after work, but I do see the positives in having a small glass of this on occasion. 3.25/5

Final Weighted Rating: 3.55/5